This is not the first time AIRTEL has caused me trouble. The first time around, it was in Hyderabad where I had a postpaid connection. The scheme gave them the provision of electronically debiting the bill amount from my bank account. Thanks to the bank, I came to know that I had been double billed. I accosted the people at the AIRTEL office in Begumpet, got a refund, de-activated the number, and re-acquired my deposit. It was not very tough because I had a corporate connection, but it caused me enough agony.
I thought a pre-paid will be less trouble, but it wasn’t. On 18th, some miscreant picked my father’s pocket and stole my other mobile phone, which had an AIRTEL prepaid connection. I knew it wasn’t going to be simple to get help from AIRTEL, but I had to try.
I went to the AIRTEL branch at Brigade Road and told them of my problem and requested for a de-activation of the number. A lady (Azma/Azfa or something. Couldn’t get the name out of her. Had to look at her badge) there assured me that if I lodge a FIR and get them a copy, they will get it done immediately. Meanwhile, crank SMSs had been sent to one of my contacts listed in the lost phone, and crank calls from a Bangalore number started going to my sister in Delhi.
I went to the Indiranagar police station (the police were very co-operative), lodged the complaint about the lost phone, a complaint against the crank calls, and as instructed, took the copy back to the Brigade Road office. This time around, there were two people, the lady above and another person called Devraj. They said they can’t disconnect unless I pay them a Rs.250/- and take a duplicate card for the same number. I was not interested in a duplicate card anymore, because it would mean my having to buy a new handset. Too much expense! I told them of my disinterest. In that case, they said, they could not help me. I demanded why I was not informed of this catch during my first visit. They, of course, didn’t have an explanation.
Finally, I went to the Airport Road office and told them of my plight. They gave me two Fax numbers and asked me to Fax the FIR and a request letter to the AIRTEL head office. It was done today. I hope I will not need to make anymore rounds of the lousy AIRTEL offices. Is the plight of a lost phone worth over 4k any less? Why should they want us to incur more costs instead of simply de-activating the number?
My verdict is, Bharati is running a big con-job. They just want to loot people of as much money as possible and give them as less value for it. Their customer service is lousy. Their offices are full of untrained, mannerless individuals who do not know how to communicate or treat the customers well.
I had heard/read horror stories about Reliance, but surprisingly, I have had a very good experience with my Reliance pre-paid and the customer services. I just want to warn all the mobile phone users who may want to opt for AIRTEL at some point in time that ’’if you ever lose your mobile phone with an AIRTEL prepaid number, Bharati gives you the guarantee to be harassed by any Tom, Dick, and Harry without helping you in any positive way’’.